Little-Known Breastfeeding Benefits: The Real Reasons Women Breastfeed
Posted by Mamalexi in Infants and ToddlersIf you’re contemplating the best way to feed and nurture your child, you’ve probably read many breastfeeding books and websites. You’ve heard that breastfeeding is good for both your baby and you. But there are breastfeeding benefits you may not have heard about. Here are breastfeeding benefits that only breastfeeding mothers know about. These are the real reasons they breastfeed and keep on breastfeeding:
1. More pleasant diaper changes
Simply put, the poop of an exclusively breastfed baby smells much more pleasant that that of a formula-fed baby. Same goes for the breastfed baby’s spit up, which washes much more easily as well.
2. Easy traveling
A formula-feeding mother has to make sure she has enough formula. Then she needs to pack all those bottles and artificial nipples. And then she has to worry about where to get clean water. And then, she needs to figure out how she will sterilize everything! I’ve even heard of formula-feeding Moms having to buy and lug around a small sterilizer. On the other hand, all breastfeeding Moms have to worry about is matching our breastfeeding clothes with our baby slings. Oh, and the diapers, too, of course!
3. Better sleep
What you’ve probably heard is that breastfed babies wake up more often leading to less sleep for Mom. Well, formula is harder to digest and so the formula-fed baby will stay satiated longer than the breastfed baby. But imagine this. A breastfed baby and his Mommy sleep beside or near each other. As baby wakes up, Mommy wakes up, latches baby on and both fall back asleep. It doesn’t matter how many times this happens throughout the night. Compare this to the formula-feeding Mom who has to get up, mix the formula, and warm up the bottle. She’ll be fully awake before her baby goes back to sleep!
4. Mother and baby togetherness
The breastfeeding mother and her baby have to be together all the time. This is a benefit, not a disadvantage. This encourages the family to be creative and come up with arrangements to ensure that Mommy is able to breastfeed. Even working Moms can continue breastfeeding. It just takes some patience and a lot of ingenuity. Whatever changes the family decides to make to accommodate the needs of the breastfeeding “couple”, you can be sure that they’re good for the family.
5. Less fear
A breastfeeding Mom is less afraid of natural and man-made disasters than the formula-feeding Mom. As long as she and baby are together, she knows that baby will survive and thrive. But what of the formula-feeding Mom? In case of a massive flood or power failure, she would definitely panic about how to continue feeding her baby. Remember the family who was got stuck in the in their car for days in the snow? Their baby lived just on Mom’s breastmilk until they were rescued.
Not many people know about these breastfeeding benefits. The breastfeeding Mom has it easier than the formula-feeding Mom in so many ways. Think about this when you weigh the pros and cons of breastfeeding vs formula feeding.
Resources: Alexis Rodrigo is a Mom of 3 and certified childbirth educator. Currently breastfeeding her third child, she is passionate about helping other Moms breastfeed successfully. Learn the secret benefits of breastfeeding beyond one year and other breastfeeding tips at http://www.naturalmomsblog.com
